Resequencing of reindeer genomes provides clues to their docile habits.

Reindeer have long been served as vital subsistence resources for inhabitants of Arctic and subarctic regions owing to their domestication. However, the evolutionary relationships and divergence times among different reindeer populations, genetic traits that distinguish domesticated reindeer, and factors that contribute to their relative docility compared with that of other Cervidae specie, remain unclear. In this study, we sequenced the genomes of 32 individuals from wild and domestic reindeer populations that inhabit Arctic and subarctic regions.

Inferences about the population history of from Y chromosome and mtDNA phylogenies.

Reindeer, called caribou in North America, has a circumpolar distribution and all extant populations belong to the same species (). It has survived the Holocene thanks to its immense adaptability and successful coexistence with humans in different forms of hunting and herding cultures. Here, we examine the paternal and maternal history of based on robust Y-chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) trees representing Eurasian tundra reindeer, Finnish forest reindeer, Svalbard reindeer, Alaska tundra caribou, and woodland caribou.

Ancient reindeer mitogenomes reveal island-hopping colonisation of the Arctic archipelagos.

Climate warming at the end of the last glacial period had profound effects on the distribution of cold-adapted species. As their range shifted towards northern latitudes, they were able to colonise previously glaciated areas, including remote Arctic islands. However, there is still uncertainty about the routes and timing of colonisation.

Evidence suggesting that reindeer mothers allonurse according to the direct reciprocity and generalized reciprocity decision rules.

Allonursing is the nursing of the offspring of other mothers. Cooperation is an emergent property of evolved decision rules. Cooperation can be explained by at least three evolved decision rules: 1) direct reciprocity, i.

Adaptation to the High-Arctic island environment despite long-term reduced genetic variation in Svalbard reindeer.

Typically much smaller in number than their mainland counterparts, island populations are ideal systems to investigate genetic threats to small populations. The Svalbard reindeer () is an endemic subspecies that colonized the Svalbard archipelago ca. 6,000-8,000 years ago and now shows numerous physiological and morphological adaptations to its arctic habitat.

Mismatch between calf paternity and observed copulations between male and female reindeer: Multiple mating in a polygynous ungulate?

In polygynous systems, such as that exhibited by reindeer , mate choice can be difficult to disentangle from male intrasexual competition because male behavior may constrain female choice. Multiple mating may provide an avenue for female mate choice, though it is difficult to identify using behavioral estimators alone. Molecular techniques address this issue by affording ecologists an opportunity to reassess mating systems from a genetic perspective.

Chronic wasting disease in Norway-A survey of prion protein gene variation among cervids.

Susceptibility of cervids to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a prion disease, can be modulated by variations in the prion protein gene (PRNP), encoding the cellular prion protein (PrP ). In prion diseases, PrP is conformationally converted to pathogenic conformers (PrP ), aggregates of which comprise infectious prions. CWD has recently been observed in its contagious form in Norwegian reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and in novel, potentially sporadic forms, here called 'atypical CWD', in moose (Alces alces) and red deer (Cervus elaphus).

Mitochondrial DNA in Ixodus ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) on birds reflects ticks' transportation routes to Lista, Norway.

Ticks are important pathogen vectors, and large mammals and birds have the greatest potential for dispersing them. To study tick dispersal by migrating birds, we have analysed genetic variations in mitochondrial DNA control region from Ixodes ricinus from northward migrating blackbird, Turdus merula, and (European) robin, Erithacus rubecula, at the Lista Bird Observatory in southwestern Norway. We compared their genetic structure with that of resident tick populations from areas covering their expected last stop (i.

Strong genetic structure among populations of the tick Ixodes ricinus across its range.

Ixodes ricinus is the most common and widely distributed tick species in Europe, responsible for several zoonotic diseases, including Lyme borreliosis. Population genetics of disease vectors is a useful tool for understanding the spread of pathogens and infection risks. Despite the threat to the public health due to the climate-driven distribution changes of I.

Temporal and structural genetic variation in reindeer () associated with the pastoral transition in Northwestern Siberia.

Just as the domestication of livestock is often cited as a key element in the Neolithic transition to settled, the emergence of large-scaled reindeer husbandry was a fundamental social transformation for the indigenous peoples of Arctic Eurasia. To better understand the history of reindeer domestication, and the genetic processes associated with the pastoral transition in the Eurasian Arctic, we analyzed archaeological and contemporary reindeer samples from Northwestern Siberia. The material represents genealogies spanning from 15,000 years ago to the 18th century, as well as modern samples from the wild Taĭmyr population and from domestic herds managed by Nenetses.

Genome sequence and comparative analysis of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in northern Eurasia.

Reindeer are semi-domesticated ruminants that have adapted to the challenging northern Eurasian environment characterized by long winters and marked annual fluctuations in daylight. We explored the genetic makeup behind their unique characteristics by de novo sequencing the genome of a male reindeer and conducted gene family analyses with nine other mammalian species. We performed a population genomics study of 23 additional reindeer representing both domestic and wild populations and several ecotypes from various geographic locations.

Opposing fitness consequences of habitat use in a harvested moose population.

Landscape changes are happening at an unprecedented pace, and together with high levels of wildlife harvesting humans have a large effect on wildlife populations. A thorough knowledge of their combined influence on individual fitness is important to understand factors affecting population dynamics. The goal of the study was to assess the individual consistency in the use of risky habitat types, and how habitat use was related to fitness components and life-history strategies.

Chronic wasting disease associated with prion protein gene () variation in Norwegian wild reindeer ().

The emergence of CWD in Europe in 2016 and the first natural infection in wild reindeer warranted disease management. This led to the testing of 2424 hunted or culled reindeer during 2016-2018, from the infected subpopulation in the Nordfjella mountain range in Southern Norway. To identify any association between variation and CWD susceptibility, we characterized the open reading frame of the gene in 19 CWD positive reindeer and in 101 age category- and sex-matched CWD negative controls.

Sea ice loss increases genetic isolation in a high Arctic ungulate metapopulation.

Sea ice loss may have dramatic consequences for population connectivity, extinction-colonization dynamics, and even the persistence of Arctic species subject to climate change. This is of particular concern in face of additional anthropogenic stressors, such as overexploitation. In this study, we assess the population-genetic implications of diminishing sea ice cover in the endemic, high Arctic Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) by analyzing the interactive effects of landscape barriers and reintroductions (following harvest-induced extirpations) on their metapopulation genetic structure.

Stabilizing selection and adaptive evolution in a combination of two traits in an arctic ungulate.

Stabilizing selection is thought to be common in wild populations and act as one of the main evolutionary mechanisms, which constrain phenotypic variation. When multiple traits interact to create a combined phenotype, correlational selection may be an important process driving adaptive evolution. Here, we report on phenotypic selection and evolutionary changes in two natal traits in a semidomestic population of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in northern Finland.

Biological adaptations in the Arctic cervid, the reindeer ().

The reindeer is an Arctic species that exhibits distinctive biological characteristics, for which the underlying genetic basis remains largely unknown. We compared the genomes of reindeer against those of other ruminants and nonruminant mammals to reveal the genetic basis of light arrhythmicity, high vitamin D metabolic efficiency, the antler growth trait of females, and docility. We validate that two reindeer vitamin D metabolic genes ( and ) show signs of positive selection and exhibit higher catalytic activity than those of other ruminants.

First Detection of Chronic Wasting Disease in a Wild Red Deer () in Europe.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal contagious prion disease naturally occurring in cervids in North America. In 2016, CWD was detected in wild reindeer () and moose () in Norway. Here, we report the first known naturally infected wild Norwegian red deer ().

Novel Type of Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in Moose (Alces alces), Norway.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) persists in cervid populations of North America and in 2016 was detected for the first time in Europe in a wild reindeer in Norway. We report the detection of CWD in 3 moose (Alces alces) in Norway, identified through a large scale surveillance program. The cases occurred in 13-14-year-old female moose, and we detected an abnormal form of prion protein (PrP) in the brain but not in lymphoid tissues.

Life histories and ecotype conservation in an adaptive vertebrate: Genetic constitution of piscivorous brown trout covaries with habitat stability.

Ecotype variation in species exhibiting different life history strategies may reflect heritable adaptations to optimize reproductive success, and potential for speciation. Traditionally, ecotypes have, however, been defined by morphometrics and life history characteristics, which may be confounded with individual plasticity. Here, we use the widely distributed and polytypic freshwater fish species brown trout () as a model to study piscivorous life history and its genetic characteristics in environmentally contrasting habitats; a large lake ecosystem with one major large and stable tributary, and several small tributaries.

Fitness correlates of age at primiparity in a hunted moose population.

Trade-offs between fitness-related traits are predicted from the principle of resource allocation, where increased fecundity or parental investment leads to reduced future reproduction or survival. However, fitness traits can also be positively correlated due to individual differences (e.g.

Maintaining genetic integrity of coexisting wild and domestic populations: Genetic differentiation between wild and domestic with long traditions of intentional interbreeding.

This study investigates the genetic effect of an indigenous tradition of deliberate and controlled interbreeding between wild and domestic . The results are interpreted in the context of conservation concerns and debates on the origin of domestic animals. The study is located in Northeastern Zabaĭkal'e, Russia at approximately 57 degrees North latitude.

Lack of significant associations with early career performance suggest no link between the DMRT3 "Gait Keeper" mutation and precocity in Coldblooded trotters.

The Swedish-Norwegian Coldblooded trotter (CBT) is a local breed in Sweden and Norway mainly used for harness racing. Previous studies have shown that a mutation from cytosine (C) to adenine (A) in the doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 3 (DMRT3) gene has a major impact on harness racing performance of different breeds. An association of the DMRT3 mutation with early career performance has also been suggested.

Phylogenetic Lineages and Postglacial Dispersal Dynamics Characterize the Genetic Structure of the Tick, Ixodes ricinus, in Northwest Europe.

Dispersal and gene flow are important mechanisms affecting the dynamics of vectors and their pathogens. Here, patterns of genetic diversity were analyzed in many North European populations of the tick, Ixodes ricinus. Population sites were selected within and between areas separated by geographical barriers in order to evaluate the importance of tick transportation by birds in producing genetic connectivity across open sea and mountain ranges.